The present inventions are related to systems and methods for verifying operation of storage systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for exercising a read channel device.
Turning to FIG. 1a, a generalized hard disk drive system 100 is shown that includes a disk storage medium 110, a read/write head assembly 120 disposed in relation to disk storage medium 110, and a semiconductor device 130 that is electrically coupled to read/write head assembly 120 via an interface circuit 132. Interface circuit 132 provides data received from disk storage medium 110 to a read path circuit 134. Read path circuit 134 processes the received data and provides a read data output 142. A write data input 144 is provided to a write path circuit 136 that prepares the write data for storage on disk storage medium 110. The prepared data is provided to read/write head assembly 120 via interface circuit 132. The prepare data is then stored by read/write head assembly 120 to disk storage medium 110 as magnetic signals.
Testing such a hard disk drive system typically includes writing a test pattern introduced as write data 144 to disk storage medium 110, and subsequently reading the written pattern back as read data 142. The written pattern and read pattern may then be considered to determine whether disk drive system 100 is operating properly. This approach works reasonably well, however, it requires that semiconductor device 130 be assembled with other components of hard disk drive system 100 before testing can be completed. This does not allow testing at early development stages.
To overcome this inability to test semiconductor device 130 early in the design process, costly spin stands have been developed that are capable of operating a disk storage medium in relation to a read/write head assembly to allow for testing of semiconductor devices prior to inclusion in a hard disk drive system. Turning to FIG. 1b, a test system 101 is shown that includes a spin stand 150 that is electrically coupled to semiconductor device 130. In particular, spin stand 150 includes an interface circuit 152 that is capable of bidirectional communication with interface circuit 132. Spin stand 150 includes a spin system 160 that is capable of precise movement of a disk storage medium 170 in relation to a read/write head assembly 180. Spin stand 150 is able to simulate the operation of read/write head assembly 120 in relation to disk storage medium 110. As spin stand 150 may be used to test semiconductor device 130 before a prototype disk drive system has been completed, it offers an ability to generate reliable test information relatively early in the design process. Spin stand 150 is, however, a very expensive piece of equipment. As such, it may be either prohibitively costly or simply not available.
Hence, for at least the aforementioned reasons, there exists a need in the art for advanced systems and methods for verifying components of storage systems.